Veteran coach Talvin Hester joined the University of Houston Men's Basketball program as an assistant coach in late April 2014.

Hester is no stranger to the Lone Star State, working at eight different programs in Texas at the college and professional level. In addition to the Cougars, Hester has previously worked at Texas State, Stephen F. Austin, Prairie View A&M, Texas College, Texas Wesleyan and North Lake College on the collegiate level and with the Texas Rim Rockers of the United States Basketball League.

AT HOUSTON
Hester helped lead the Cougars to a 22-10 record in 2015-16 -- only the 15th 22-win season in program history -- and a berth in the NIT for the first time in a decade.

In his first year with the Cougars during the 2014-15 season, Hester helped lead Houston to 13 wins. Among those wins were a 70-68 decision against defending national champion UConn and a dominating 82-69 victory against Big 12 member Texas Tech during the final day of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic Championship Round.

Hester also assisted in the Cougars' off-court work, serving Thanksgiving meals to Star of Hope Mission residents and leading a Texas Special Olympics event inside Hofheinz Pavilion.

PRE-HOUSTON
He spent the 2013-14 season at Texas State for head coach Danny Kaspar. It was the second time during his career that he worked on Kaspar's staff after spending the 2012-13 season at Stephen F. Austin.

While at SFA, Hester helped lead the Lumberjacks to an impressive 27-5 record, the Southland Conference regular-season championship and a berth in the NIT. SFA posted the fourth-best record among NCAA Division I teams and finished with the No. 1 scoring defense nationally.

Prior to his stint at Stephen F. Austin, Hester worked from 2010 to 2012 at San Jose State. There, he helped guide the Spartans to impressive non-conference wins over Oregon and San Francisco.

During the 2010-11 season, San Jose State earned its first postseason bid since 1996 with a trip to the College Basketball Invitational First Round. The Spartans also posted the program's most wins since the 1980-81 campaign with a 17-16 overall record.

In addition to his team's on-court accomplishments, Hester also was recognized off the court. In the summer of 2011, he was one of a select few invited to participate in the NCAA Black Coaches and Administrators Achieving Coaching Excellence Program.

This prestigious four-day program was designed to prepare racial and ethnic minority basketball coaches for success as future head coaches.

Hester worked for five seasons (2005-10) on the staff at Prairie View A&M and was eventually promoted to associate head coach. He helped lead the Panthers to consecutive winning seasons in 2008 and 2009 after Prairie View A&M had suffered five straight losing seasons and not enjoyed back-to-back winning seasons in 32 years.

After consecutive 8-22 campaigns, Hester helped lead the Panthers to a 17-16 overall mark (for a 7.5-game improvement from the previous season) and a third-place finish in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

With Hester's leadership, the Panthers emerged as one of the Southwestern Athletic Conference's and the nation's top defensive squads. Following the 2009-10 season, Prairie View A&M ranked among the nation's top-15 leaders in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage defense.

Hester broke into the coaching ranks as an assistant coach at North Lake College during the 2002-03 season. From there, he spent one year (2003) with the Texas Rim Rockers of the United States Basketball League and worked for one year at his alma mater, Texas Wesleyan during the 2003-04 season.

Hester also worked as an assistant coach at Texas College for the 2004-05 season before entering the NCAA Division I ranks with Prairie View A&M in 2005.

PLAYING CAREER
As a student-athlete, Hester competed at Dallas Christian College during the 1996-97 season. He received his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas Wesleyan in 2003.
PERSONAL
He is married to the former Jamieka Jackson, and they are the parents of a daughter, Rhyan.